Highlights of Exemplary Practices Aligned with the 18 Characteristics of Successful Middle Schools

1. Characteristic #3: Every student’s academic and personal development is guided by an adult advocate Essential Attributes: Developmentally Responsive & Empowering Laveen Elementary intentionally structures the middle school experience so that students are known, supported, and connected to caring adults.

Our daily advisory program provides protected time for students in grades 5–8 to build relationships, engage in social-emotional learning, set goals, and develop connections with trusted adults. This commitment extends beyond simply having an advisory period; we regularly examine whether students can identify an adult they trust and use those results to strengthen our advocacy systems. Students who are unable to identify a trusted adult are intentionally connected with a staff member for ongoing check-ins and support.

2. Characteristic #10: Health, wellness, and social-emotional competence are supported in curricula, schoolwide programs, and related policies Essential Attribute: Developmentally Responsive Our commitment to educating the whole child is one of the defining features of Laveen Elementary. We recognize that young adolescents cannot achieve at high levels academically unless their social, emotional, and physical needs are also supported. Character Strong provides consistent SEL instruction and serves as an important component of middle school advisory. Our broader Health and Wellness approach provides additional opportunities for students to develop healthy habits, resilience, relationships, and a sense of belonging. We have intentionally expanded these supports through programs such as the DREAMS-funded Inner Canvas program, which uses creative arts, storytelling, mindfulness, and mentorship to teach stress-management and resilience skills. We continue to build partnerships with organizations that align with our belief that supporting the developmental needs of young adolescents is not separate from academic achievement; it is essential to it.

3. Characteristic #11: Instruction fosters learning that is active, purposeful, and democratic Essential Attributes: Challenging & Equitable Laveen Elementary maintains high academic expectations while continually refining Tier I instruction to ensure all students have access to rigorous grade-level learning. Teachers work collaboratively through weekly PLCs to plan instruction, analyze common formative assessments and student work, and respond when students have not yet mastered essential standards. Our recent schoolwide instructional work has emphasized strategies such as structured partner reading, which increases every student's access to grade-level text while creating opportunities for academic discourse and active participation. Rather than lowering expectations for students who need additional support, our focus is on identifying and removing barriers so that all students engage in meaningful, rigorous learning. This directly reflects our “All Means All” mindset and our belief that every student is capable of achieving at high levels.

4. Characteristic #18: Organizational structures foster purposeful learning and meaningful relationships Essential Attributes: Empowering & Developmentally Responsive Our organizational structures are intentionally designed around the needs of young adolescents. Advisory provides students with a consistent adult advocate and peer community, while our Student Success Team and increasingly systematic Tier II and Tier III processes allow us to identify and respond to academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs before students become disconnected from school. Middle school students also have opportunities to exercise choice by selecting exploratory and special-area courses that align with their interests and strengths. These structures reflect our belief that a successful middle school must provide both high levels of learning and high levels of connection. Our systems are continually examined and refined using student, academic, behavioral, and perception data so that they remain responsive to the students we serve.